News

First voting on subsidies to bullfighting in European Committee

Thursday, September 11st 2014

The Committee of Environment, Public Health and Food Safety has voted to put an end to the European subsidies to bullfighting. The Dutch member of the European Parliament Bas Eickhout, member of the green party GroenLinks, had proposed the amendment. Finally, it has been adopted with 29 votes in favor and 11 against it. According to the amendment “Appropriations shall not be used for supporting breeding or rearing of bulls used for lethal bull fighting activities.” Soon members of the parliament will discuss the amendment.

For many years, the bullfighting sector received funding from the European Union through agrarian subsidies for the breeding of cattle for consumption, as the meat of fighting bulls is consumed. Nevertheless, though meat consumption has never been the main objective of bullfighting, the tradition continues because of the European subsidies for agriculture.

On July 4 2013, the Lower House of the Parliament of the Netherlands decided unanimously to end the subsidies to bullfighting after a proposal of the Party of the Animals with help from CAS. Read more about the voting of the Lower House.

Please keep an eye on our website for more information about this important voting in the European parliament.